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Summery Strawberry Salsa

A great twist on a family favourite

So often we think of using strawberries in sweet concoctions, but their flavour actually lends itself well to savoury ones too. This salsa has it all: sweet fruit and maple syrup balanced with lime and salt. A hint of heat is all you need to give it that salsa-y zip while still keeping things family-friendly.

Once you taste this strawberry salsa, you might not ever want to go back to that boring tomato kind. While this salsa is perfect for dipping, you might also enjoy it spooned over grilled meats and fish.

Strawberry Salsa

Ingredients

1.5 cups chopped fresh, ripe strawberries

2 tbsp finely diced red onion

3 tbsp diced English cucumber

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Zest of 1 lime plus 3 tbsp lime juice, or to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 tsp (5 mL) maple syrup, or to taste

Several dashes hot sauce, or to taste

Directions

Combine strawberries, onion, cucumbers and cilantro in a bowl.

Add lime zest and juice, salt and pepper, maple syrup and hot sauce.

Stir to blend well. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference.

Cover and let sit for 1 – 3 hours; refrigerate for longer storage.

Note: if you refrigerate overnight, the strawberries will release some of their natural pectin, giving the salsa a slightly gelled texture that is really fantastic.

Paula Roy readily admits that she’s obsessed with food. Typically, it’s the first thing she thinks of in the morning and the last of the day as well. You would be mistaken to think she’s developing wrinkles – they are actually permanent creases caused by falling asleep while reading cookbooks in bed. She recognizes that not everyone shares her passion for cooking, so she channels much of her enthusiasm into creating family-friendly recipes that are easy to prepare and yield delicious results.

Although her husband and kids are eager taste testers, Paula knows she’ll eventually be paying for their therapy thanks to her constant cries of, “don’t touch that plate, I haven’t taken a photo yet!”

Paula loves to travel and explore whatever culinary treasures a destination has to offer. In addition to leading cooking classes and making frequent TV appearances, she’s also a busy freelance writer and serves as the food editor of popular style magazine Ottawa At Home. In addition to her contributions for YMC, you can also follow Paula’s edible adventures through her blog, Constantly Cooking, and keep up with her daily kitchen antics on Twitter and Instagram.